Horal'ska Kwasnica with Porcini Mushrooms and Bacon
Soups • Poland
Description
Kwasnica — a traditional Polish dish, typically prepared in the Carpathians. The harsh mountain climate calls for hearty and filling hot meals. In 2006, Kwasnica was included in the Register of Traditional Polish Dishes. This is a recipe for a simple and hearty soup. It vaguely resembles our cabbage soup, but is closer to eintopf.
Ingredients
- Smoked pork knuckle 20 oz
- Beef chuck roast 20 oz
- Bacon 5 oz
- White Cabbage to taste
- Onion 2 heads
- Sauerkraut 20 oz
- Salad Potatoes 20 oz
- Garlic 3 cloves
- Dried Chinese mushrooms 5 oz
- Salt to taste
- Ground Black Pepper to taste
- Bay leaf to taste
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1
Soak the dried porcini mushrooms. Let them steep, then rinse well to remove sand and dirt.
Step 2
In a large pot, place the beef chuck (with bone) and the pre-cut smoked pork ribs. Cover with water above the meat level, and simmer on low heat (periodically skimming off the foam) for 2 hours. At the end, add black pepper and bay leaf to taste. Be cautious with salt — it is usually present in smoked meats, sauerkraut, and bacon. Season only at the end to taste.
Step 3
After 2 hours, remove the meat, cut it off the bones (by this time, the bones will easily come out) and cut into portion-sized pieces. Return the meat to the broth, keeping it on low heat. Alternatively, leave the bones in if you want to garnish the finished dish with them.
Step 4
Add the mushrooms to the broth.
Step 5
Finely chop the bacon, onion, and garlic. Place the bacon in a skillet, wait for the fat to render, then add the onion and garlic, and sauté the mixture until golden brown (you can start this 20 minutes before the broth is ready).
Step 6
Add the sautéed bacon, onion, and garlic to the broth. Cook for 5 minutes.
Step 7
Add the sauerkraut to the soup, and pour in the cabbage juice. How much juice to add depends on how sour you want the final dish to be. Cook until the cabbage is halfway done.
Step 8
Add the diced potatoes and cook until the potatoes are tender. Check for salt. Add salt if needed.
Step 9
The soup is ready. The way to serve it is similar to our cabbage soup — with sour cream or without.
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